Recreational scuba diving injuries
Clenney, T.L.; Lassen, L.F.
American Family Physician 53(5): 1761-1774
1996
ISSN/ISBN: 0002-838X PMID: 8623700 Document Number: 465160
Because of the increasing popularity of recreational scuba diving, primary care physicians should be familiar with common diving injuries. One form of barotrauma, middle ear squeeze, is the most common diving injury. Other important diving injuries include inner ear barotrauma and pulmonary barotrauma. Arterial gas embolism, a potentially life-threatening form of pulmonary barotrauma, requires hyperbaric treatment. Decompression sickness is the result of bubble formation in body tissue. Symptoms of decompression sickness range from joint pain to neurologic or pulmonary problems. Recompression is the mainstay of treatment.